Faye Levy - 30 low-fat vegetarian meals in 30 minutes

Copyright 1997 by Faye Levy

All rights reserved.

Warner Books, Inc.,

Hachette Book Group

237 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Visit our website at www.HachetteBookGroup.com

First eBook Edition: October 2009

ISBN: 978-0-446-56724-4

Faye Levys recipes always are inviting, but the bonus here in addition to being low-fat is that the dishes and menus are easy.

Oregonian

Whole meals in half an hour. Now theres a challenge. Levy takes on our two favorite adjectives fast and low-fatand makes meals that are both.

Newsday

Something of value for any cook. The recipes [are] excellent, clearly described, and easily followed.

KLIATT

Faye Levy ranks among the most imaginative and careful of all cookbook authors.

Boston Herald

As an instructor and inspiration in the kitchen, Faye Levy is without peer.

Maureen Clancy, San Diego Union-Tribune

Levy is one of out brightest new cookbook authors. As meticulous and painstaking as she is creative, Levy, always the teacher, gives impeccable instructions.

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Her recipes always work and the information she imparts is always easily understood by every level of cook.

Muriel Stevens, Las Vegas Sun

Levy is one of the most knowledgeable and reliable food writers in the country.

Judith Hill, food editor, First for Women

Levy is one of Americas top culinary columnists and authors.

Elle

30 Low-Fat Meals in 30 Minutes

Faye Levys International Vegetable Cookbook

Faye Levys International Chicken Cookbook

Faye Levys International Jewish Cookbook

Sensational Pasta

Sensational Chocolate

Fresh from France: Dessert Sensations

Fresh from France: Dinner Inspirations

Fresh from France: Vegetable Creations

Classic Cooking Techniques

La Cuisine du Poisson (in French, with Fernand Chambrette)

Faye Levys Favorite Recipes (in Hebrew)

French Cooking Without Meat (in Hebrew)

French Desserts (in Hebrew)

French Cakes, Pastries and Cookies (in Hebrew)

The La Varenne Tour Book

I have always been tempted by vegetarian menus. Instead of relegating vegetables to secondary ingredients overshadowed by meat, a vegetarian menu elevates them to the leading role. By focusing on meatless dishes, vegetarian cooks around the world have come up with countless delicious creations using greens and grains.

The value of vegetarian cuisine, however, goes far beyond its contribution to gastronomy. To many, the proven health benefits of low-fat vegetarian fare are the best reason for chasing meat from their menus. Vegetarians also emphasize the importance of compassion for animals and point out the benefit to the earthvegetarian food is much less of a drain on the worlds resources than meat-based diets. In the home kitchen, meatless meals are clearly the most economical.

Nutritionists recommend that we eat five or more servings of vegetables and fruits a day as a way to promote good health and resist disease. After all, vegetables and fruits contribute to our diet nearly all the vitamins and minerals we need, yet they contain little or no fat, are low in calories, and have no cholesterol. Following a vegetarian diet practically guarantees that well get the desired amounts of vegetables and fruits.

Although we now realize the merits of vegetarian cooking, we still are faced with the time constraints of modern life. Our busy lifestyles dont leave us much time to spend in the kitchen. We want dishes that we can prepare quickly and effortlessly, with ingredients that we can find easily at the supermarket.

I have devoted many months to developing these kinds of recipes: vegetarian, fast to prepare, and low in fat. Most of the menus in this book have short ingredient lists and do not require many pots. When I was working on my previous book, 30 Low-Fat Meals in 30 Minutes, my challenge was to create quick, easy, wholesome, and lively menus that were low in fat. In this book, I have gone even further: I have designed menus that are low in cholesterol as well and completely meatless. They do not require eggs and some have no dairy products.

Following the accepted nutritional standards, I have limited the calories from fat in each menu to no more than 30 percent, with minimal saturated fat. In fact, in nearly half of the menus, I have pared down the calories from fat to 20 percent or less, with the lowest at only 9 percent.

Cooking fast, low-fat vegetarian meals is simpler today than ever. There is an impressive number of low-fat and fat-free ingredients in the store, and more are coming all the time. Many new products, from oil-free tortilla chips to nonfat sour cream to fat-free yogurt, actually taste great and give us many leaner choices for our meals. I find them useful additions to quick, low-fat menus. Our markets also provide time-saving ingredients, such as already-washed greens, shredded carrots, and sliced mushrooms. And dont forget: keeping to a low-fat diet is much easier with meatless menus, because vegetarian foods tend to be naturally low in fat.

I hope this book will be an inspiring and useful guide for anyone who wishes to prepare healthful, tasty menus in a flash. Saving time cooking should help us take pleasure in relaxed, leisurely eating, whichwho knows?may be as important for our well-being as good nutrition.

S ince vegetarian cooking relies greatly on beans and grains, which tend to have long cooking times, it might seem impossible to prepare meals quickly. Fortunately, there are many ways to get around this obstacle. Knowing how to shop and where to look for time-saving ingredients is essential. When you do use long-cooking ingredients, save time by cooking enough for several meals.

Saving time and lowering the fat in your meals begins at the market. Be sure your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer contain the basics for quick, healthful meals for those days when you dont have time to buy fresh ingredients.

To get a meal on the table fast, its important to cook efficiently. Have a plan of action to make the best use of your time. Try to have several dishes cooking simultaneously. Each of these menus spells out how to do this, and soon youll find it easy to think up simple timetables for menus of your own.

Vegetarian menus are often much more flexible than conventional ones. For example, they dont necessarily include a first course, main course, and dessert. A vegetable stew accompanied by rice and a salad can make a satisfying, easy dinner. Soup and a sandwich are an American supper favorite, and they work very well in vegetarian form, too.

Some think vegetarian food is complicated and is full of cheese and nuts. However, meatless cooking can be easy and delicious without these high-fat ingredients.

Fortunately, the ingredients necessary for speedy vegetarian cooking are available at the supermarket. A careful look at the items in many different aisles of the market will reveal a surprising number of foods that fit in well with low-fat meatless cooking. There is no need to search for them in health food stores. But if you do visit such stores from time to time, youll find even more choices.